Accommodating Intraocular Lenses

Abstract

An accommodating intraocular lens includes an optic portion a haptic portion and a backstop. The optic portion of the lens includes an actuator that deflects a lens element to alter the optical power of the lens responsive to forces applied to the haptic portion of the lens by contraction of the ciliary muscles. Forces applied to the haptic portion may result in fluid displacements from or to the haptic portion from the actuator. The backstop provides support to the haptic so that bulk translation of the haptic is prevented in response to the forces applied by the capsular sac.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of pending U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 642,388, filed Dec. 19, 2006; which application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 971,598, filed Oct. 22, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,261,737; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 734,514, filed Dec. 12, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,122,053, and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 433,046, filed December 12, 2002, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to intraocular lenses (“IOLs”) having optical parameters that are changeable in-situ. More particularly, the invention has application in IOLs for in-capsule implantation for cataract patients or presbyopic patients, wherein movement of the lens capsule applies forces to a circumferentially supported haptic to more efficiently induce trans...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]It also is an object of the present invention to provide methods and apparatus for further enhancing conversion of lens capsule movements into hydraulic forces, so as to improve modulation of the lens actuator and dynamic surface.

[0020]It is another object of this invention to provide methods and apparatus to enhance the efficiency with which loads arising due to natural accommodating muscular action are converted to hydraulic forces.

[0022]In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the IOL includes at least one fluid-mediated actuator coupled to a fluid column disposed in at least one haptic of the IOL and a haptic support structure, or backstop, supporting at least a portion of the haptic. Forces applied to the haptic by the capsular bag, responsive to movement of the ciliary muscles, cause the transfer of fluid between the fluid column and the actuator, which in turn deflects a dynamic surface of the lens. As used herein, a “backstop” is a structure that opposes the forces applied by the capsular sac and limits or prevents bulk translation of the entire haptic in response to those forces so that the force may be converted more efficiently into deformation of the haptic. The backstop may be integrated into an optic portion or a haptic portion of the IOL or a separate structure.

[0025]When the ciliary muscles relax, the zonules pull the capsular bag taut and apply forces to the anterior and posterior faces of the haptic and reduce the compressive forces applied radially to the haptic. The backstop prevents the entire haptic from translating in response to these forces. The backstop may be configured to resist bulk axial or radial translation of the haptic or combinations thereof. The forces applied by the capsular bag in conjunction with the backstop cause the cross-sectional area of the haptic to increase thereby increasing the internal volume of the haptic. This action in turn causes fluid to be withdrawn from the actuator disposed in the optic portion, so that the dynamic surface of the IOL transitions from an accommodated state to an unaccommodated state.

[0026]The actuator used in the optic portion of the IOL may be centrally located within the optic portion that, when filled with fluid, biases the dynamic surface of the IOL to the accommodated state. When the ciliary muscles are contracted, the zonules and capsular bag are less taut, and the haptics are compressed radially toward the optical axis. Relaxation of the ciliary muscle causes the zonules to transition the capsule to less convex shape, which applies compressive forces to the posterior and anterior faces of the haptic, thereby withdrawing fluid from the actuator and causing the lens to transition to the unaccommodated state. Alternatively, the actuator may comprise structures disposed at the periphery of the optic portion, so as to minimize refractive effects and optical aberrations in the optic portion.

Problems solved by technology

Since the lens can no longer accommodate, however, the patient typically needs glasses for reading.

After placement, accommodation is no longer possible, although this ability is typically already lost for persons receiving an IOL.

Although previously known workers in the field of accommodating IOLs have made some progress, the relative complexity of the methods and apparatus developed to date have prevented widespread commercialization of such devices.

Previously known devices have proved too complex to be practical to construct or have achieved only limited success, due to the inability to provide accommodation of more than 1-2 diopters.

According to Eyeonics, redistribution of the ciliary mass upon constriction causes increased vitreous pressure resulting in forward movement of the lens.

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